IAC Express 2010

Are you new to the immunization field and looking for "how-to" information about providing vaccinations in a clinic or non-traditional setting? Look no further. IAC's Providing Vaccination Services web section provides one-stop access to top vaccination resources from IAC, CDC, the California Department of Public Health, the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and many more.

This section offers visitors a collection of essential vaccination resources such as immunization site maps, staff education and training materials, vaccination procedures, vaccine management tool kits, official vaccine recommendations, and much more.

To find essential resources for providing vaccination services, visit http://www.immunize.org/providing-vaccinations

IAC recently updated "How to Administer IM and SC Vaccine Injections" and "How to Administer IM and SC Vaccine Injections to Adults." Both were revised by adding the word "vaccine" to the title and by making other small changes.

(1) To access "How to Administer IM and SC Vaccine Injections," go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2020.pdf

(2) To access "How to Administer IM and SC Vaccine Injections to Adults," go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2020a.pdf

IAC's Handouts for Patients and Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public approximately 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely. To access all of IAC's free handouts, go to: http://www.immunize.org/handouts

IAC encourages IAC Express readers to watch a 3-minute CDC video that tells the public that influenza vaccine can protect pregnant women, their unborn babies, and even the baby after it is born.

The video will be available on the home page of IAC's website through November 21. To access it, go to: http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the words Video of the Week. To access the video after November 21, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J5ijqtmkPk

Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every Monday. To view an IAC Video of the Week from the past, go to the video archive at http://www.immunize.org/votw

Influenza vaccination is now recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, so please keep vaccinating your patients.

If you don't have influenza vaccine, you can direct patients to the Google Flu Vaccine Finder. It helps the public find nearby locations where influenza vaccine is available. It's as simple as entering a zip code. Visit the Google Flu Vaccine Finder: http://www.google.com/flushot

To purchase supplies of influenza vaccine, visit IVATS, the Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System. IVATS is operated by the National Influenza Vaccine Summit and provides information about vaccine manufacturers and distributors who have influenza vaccine available for purchase. To access IVATS, go to: http://www.preventinfluenza.org/ivats

Following is a list of resources related to influenza disease and vaccination for healthcare professionals and the public.

• National Influenza Vaccine Summit website: http://www.preventinfluenza.org
   
• IAC's Influenza web section: http://www.immunize.org/influenza
   
• CDC's Flu web section: http://www.cdc.gov/flu

To access IAC's handouts related to influenza, including screening questionnaires, patient education pieces, and sample standing orders, go to: http://www.immunize.org/handouts/influenza-vaccines.asp

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Immunization Branch, recently updated its award-winning training video, "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults." The 25-minute program can be used to train new employees and to refresh the skills of experienced staff. The video demonstrates the skills and techniques needed to administer vaccines to patients of all ages. It includes instruction on the following:

• Selecting, preparing, and administering injectable, oral, and nasal vaccines
• Documenting immunizations
• Making patients comfortable and educating them
• Facilitating staff and patient communication

Prices start at $17 each for 1-9 copies and are greatly reduced for large orders, dropping to $4.25 each for 1,000-1,500 copies.

To learn more about the DVD, and find out how to order it, go to: http://www.immunize.org/shop/toolkit_iztechdvd.asp

For quotes on larger quantities, call (651) 647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org

The Immunization Action Coalition is the only nationwide vendor of this new DVD.

Note for healthcare settings located in California: Contact your local health department immunization program for a free copy.

The next "Current Issues in Immunization" net conference will be held on December 9 from noon to 1PM Eastern time. Amanda Cohn, MD, will speak on meningococcal conjugate vaccine; Carolyn B. Bridges, MD, will speak on adult influenza vaccination. The program moderator is Andrew T. Kroger, MD, MPH.

Registration is limited and will close on December 7 or when the course is full. To register, go to: http://www2.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/ciinc

Join a free 1.5 hour webinar to hear representatives from CDC and some of the nation's leading health organizations share strategies for increasing influenza vaccination among people with chronic health conditions.

"Engaging Disengaged Audiences: Strategies and Real-World Approaches for Increasing Flu Vaccine Coverage among People with Chronic Health Conditions" is scheduled for November 18 at 2:00PM Eastern time.

Live Meeting Webinar Link:
https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/orau1/join?id=BD7RWT&role=attend

Audio Information: (888) 469-1750
Participant code: 5569209

FIRST TIME USERS: To save time before the meeting, check your system to make sure it is ready to use Microsoft Office Live Meeting by visiting http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=90703

On November 17, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will host a press conference about the need to improve adult immunization rates. A panel of experts from academia, government, and advocacy organizations will outline the benefits of adult vaccination and the consequences of an unprotected public. NFID will also present new survey results that highlight what may be a dramatic communication gap between physicians and patients.

The press conference will take place at 1:00PM Eastern time. To listen to the press conference online, go to: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=74347

The University of Pittsburgh, under a CDC grant, has created the "Standing Orders Protocols for Adult Immunizations Toolkit." It contains a concise manual, a PowerPoint presentation detailing the tool kit's contents, and a audiovisual presentation. Case studies, best practices, and sample forms are included.

The tool kit was reviewed by national experts and is available at no cost on the website of the Group on Immunization Education of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine: http://www.immunizationed.org/standingorders

To aid in efforts to vaccinate against influenza, the Immunization Action Coalition is inviting IAC Express readers to place orders now for bulk quantities of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit's 2010-11 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Pocket Information Guides. They're free--you can order them in the hundreds or thousands!

These laminated, 3.75 x 6.75-inch, 2-color cards serve as a convenient reference for front-line healthcare professionals who vaccinate patients. The cards provide the following information:

• Indications, contraindications, and precautions for the injectable and intranasal seasonal influenza vaccines
• Clear direction regarding which children need 2 doses of influenza vaccine this year
• Dosage, route of administration, and indicated age group for all the various seasonal influenza vaccine products
• Talking points for discussing seasonal influenza vaccination with patients

See an image of the seasonal influenza vaccine pocket guide at http://www.preventinfluenza.org/fluguide/pocketguide_flu.pdf

These pocket guides also serve as a reminder to keep giving seasonal influenza vaccine throughout influenza season (through the spring months).

The Summit is also pleased to be able to offer pocket guides for the administration of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV).

See an image of the PPSV pocket guide at http://www.immunize.org/ppvguide/pocketguide.pdf

Each of these pocket guides is designed to be used by healthcare professionals only; THEY ARE NOT PATIENT HANDOUTS.

HOW TO ORDER
Place your order at http://www.preventinfluenza.org/pocketguides There is no cost for the pocket guides, shipping, or handling within the U.S. They're going fast, so to avoid disappointment, place your order ASAP!

If you have questions, email admininfo@immunize.org

BACKGROUND
These pocket guides were developed by, and are being provided under the sponsorship of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, http://www.preventinfluenza.org The Summit brings together public and private stakeholders to facilitate and promote influenza vaccination. The pocket guides are also distributed by many major medical, nursing, and pharmacist organizations, specialty societies, state health departments, Indian Health Service Area facilities, Quality Improvement Organizations, Visiting Nurse Associations, community vaccinators, and many others.

Thanks for your dedication to immunization, and don't forget to keep vaccinating against seasonal influenza through the spring months!

Since its 2002 launch date, IAC's Immunization Coalitions website (http://www.izcoalitions.org) has posted information from 186 immunization coalitions. The site includes data from coalitions at all levels (local, state, regional, and national) and of all types, vaccine-specific as well as age-specific (childhood, adult, senior).

This online database allows health professionals, immunization advocates, parents, and others to contact specific coalitions to find resources, share ideas, and form strategic partnerships. Searches can be done by coalition name or geographic area.

Be sure your coalition is part of this web-based networking resource by checking for your coalition's listing. If your coalition is not listed, sign up today. If your coalition is already displayed but information about your coalition has changed, be sure to update your listing to help us keep izcoalitions.org current and accurate.

To look for your coalition on the Directory of Immunization Coalitions website, go to: http://www.izcoalitions.org

If you have questions or difficulties updating your coalition's information, send an email to Janelle at janelle@immunize.org or call her at (651) 647-9009.

CDC recently released the October issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works and posted it on the website of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The newsletter offers the immunization community information about current topics. The information is in the public domain and can be reproduced and circulated widely.

The feature article, "Pertussis Outbreak in California," is reprinted below minus its extensive list of resources. [Note: Most articles in the October Immunization Works newsletter have been covered in previous issues of IAC Express.]

To access the list of pertussis resources included with this article, and the complete October issue of Immunization Works, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2010/201010.htm

This year's National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is scheduled for December 5-11. CDC would like to hear from you if your organization is planning an activity during National Influenza Vaccination Week--or beyond--to encourage influenza vaccination.

To access the event submission form, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/form.htm

NIVW Resources You Can Use
CDC has produced a broad range of communication materials that drive home the message that influenza is a serious disease and vaccination is the best protection against it. Here's a selection:

Web tools
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/web_tools.htm

Posters, brochures, flyers, and more for a variety of audiences (some in Spanish)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/print.htm#health

Podcasts, videos, and public service announcements
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/media.htm

Fully formatted, ready-to-use articles (i.e., Matte articles) that can be easily placed in local newspapers and magazines
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/matte_articles.htm

To access the NIVW home page, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/

IAC Express will keep you informed about developments in the NIVW campaign as they unfold in the weeks ahead.

The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) recently issued a new report, "Fighting Flu Fatigue." The report found that H1N1 influenza hospitalization rates for African-Americans, Hispanics, and American Indian/Alaska Natives were nearly two-to-one higher than rates for white Americans during the 2009-2010 influenza season. At the same time, both H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccination rates were lower for African Americans and Hispanics than for whites.

To access the report, go to: http://healthyamericans.org/assets/files/TFAH2010FluBriefFINAL.pdf

TFAH is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. The Fighting Flu Fatigue report was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The CDC website recently posted the PowerPoint slide sets presented at the October 27-28 ACIP meeting. To access the slide sets, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/slides-oct10.htm

The "CDC Features" web section now includes information for the public on pneumococcal disease, prevention, and treatment.

To access "Pneumonia Can Be Prevented--Vaccines Can Help," go to: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pneumonia

The Asian Liver Center (ALC) at Stanford University recently added a Hmong-language brochure, "Know HBV: What every Hmong should know about hepatitis B and liver cancer," to its collection of hepatitis B public-education materials.

Others languages available in the "Know HBV" collection are Chinese, Korean, Lao, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. The brochure is also available in English and in simplified English intended for English-speaking Hmong.

To view the entire "Know HBV" collection, go to: http://liver.stanford.edu/Public/brochures.html You can download brochures from this web page or click on the Brochure Order Form link to order brochures at no charge.

Earlier in the fall, the San Francisco Department of Public Health launched a new social marketing campaign. Titled IMMUNITY, the campaign has two goals:

• Increase citywide awareness about the importance of adult vaccination
• Prompt everyone to get an influenza vaccination this year

More information, including resources and links to campaign materials, can be found at http://www.vaccinesforadults.org